


Stages

by Onehelluvapilot



Series: The Helping Hands Initiative [3]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Amputee Tadashi Hamada, Gen, Prosthetics, Tadashi Hamada Lives, Ted Talks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 10:22:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13385817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: Tadashi Hamada gives a TED Talk. That's it.





	Stages

Tadashi Hamada hopped up onto the stage, reveling in the ability. The new red and gold prosthesis had nearly the same range of motion and control as his old leg. He grabbed up a microphone from where it sat waiting for him. He hadn’t been in front of a crowd this large since… Ever. He hadn’t presented in front of a crowd since Baymax. Before he jumped up here, he had double and triple checked his fly, remembering Hiro’s mistake on the night both of their lives had changed so much.

“Hello everyone, my name is Tadashi Hamada, I am the co-director of the Helping Hands Initiative from Stark Industries. I’d like to start out, however, with talking about my previous project. I’m sure you’ve all heard of Baymax.”

That earned a chuckle from the crowd. Everyone had heard of Baymax after Big Hero 6 had gone public with the encouragement of the Avengers. Tadashi himself had decided that superheroing wasn’t really his thing. He often wondered about the message he was sending to other amputees by not stepping up in that way; worried that he was unintentionally saying that someone missing a limb couldn’t be a superhero. The work he was doing here was more important though.

“Baymax was…. The intention behind him, to help people, was in the right place, but the effort was misplaced. Though cheaper than other robotic helpers, he was still more expensive than years of a nurse’s wages. And though I tried to make him sympathetic to the emotional as well as physical needs of a patient, after six weeks in hospital myself, I realize how important it is to keep humanity and empathy in our healthcare system. What my brother did with Baymax was actually a much better use, and though I was a little sad to see my invention go, I was glad to pass on the torch and turn my attentions to simpler and more useful projects. 

“It was at this point that I was contacted by Stark Industries. Abigail Akindele, a fellow engineer and amputee, had just founded the Helping Hands Initiative. Unfortunately, she’s off at the Paralympic Games giving a talk, and is unable to be here with us today.” Whoever had scheduled this conference needed to be beat with a large stick. “Long story short, I was brought on as co-director, and that’s how I got up on this stage to speak to you today. Well, I physically got up on this stage using the stairs, but you know what I mean.

“Each prosthetic is custom made, but Abby and I represent the two most common models. Mine,” he lifted the metal leg and waggled it a bit to draw attention, “is based off of the leg of the Iron Man suit, except obviously without repulsors.” That earned him a chuckle from the audience. "Hers shares the same design concept as the Winter Soldier arm. They both provide a more lifelike limb than most other prosthetics, which allows for a lesser impact on day to day life and greater mobility. The goal of Helping Hands is to create a world where no one’s prospects or opportunities are limited by the loss of a limb.”

At this point, Tadashi crouched down. The joint on his new prosthetic moved more seamlessly than his flesh and bone knee. “I’d like to introduce my co-presenter, Kim Ramos. She lost her hand in a car crash with a drunk driver.” He looked off to the edge of the stage, waved the little girl over. The six year old came up to his shoulder where he crouched. “Kim, what do you want to be when you grow up?” She leaned over towards his microphone, apparently forgetting that she had her own pinned onto her shirt.

“I wanna be a gymnast superhero like SpiderMan and Daredevil,” she said, and every person in the room couldn’t help but be warmed by her hope.

“A gymnast superhero? Well, that’s an ambitious goal. Why don’t you show us what you can do,” the older amputee instructed. The little girl did a cartwheel across the stage to the cheers of the audience. Her metal hand adjusted seamlessly to the multiple axes of movement. “This is what lifelike prosthetics can do,” Tadashi called, standing up and flinging out an arm to gesture at the beaming child. “With modern technology, losing a limb doesn’t have to be a life changing event. Little girls can still grow up to be whatever they want to be.” He waved at Kim as she ran off stage into her proud father’s waiting arms, and he turned back to the audience.

“The main difficulty is that prosthetics like these are expensive. We’ve only been able to provide a fraction of the support that we want to, and so far we’ve been confined to the US. If we are to expand internationally, to help more people, we need more support. That’s why I appeal to you. For funding, and to help spread the word. Help us help others. Help us make this a world where no child’s potential is limited by a missing limb. Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Love comments. Tell me if you like series. Both of them, I mean.


End file.
